{"id":977,"date":"2026-02-20T22:48:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T14:48:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nichebeaty.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/20\/the-dark-winter-makeup-trends-pat-mcgrath-is-backing\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T22:48:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T14:48:26","slug":"the-dark-winter-makeup-trends-pat-mcgrath-is-backing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nichebeaty.com\/index.php\/2026\/02\/20\/the-dark-winter-makeup-trends-pat-mcgrath-is-backing\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dark Winter Makeup Trends Pat McGrath Is Backing"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If there\u2019s one person who can set a trend in motion, it\u2019s legendary celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath. The founder of her eponymous line, Pat McGrath Labs, she\u2019s the definition of a trendsetter. Remember the glass-skin moment at the Maison Margiela spring\/summer 2024 runway? Models walked with mirror-like, reflective skin that instantly went viral\u2014courtesy of McGrath and her team. This season, she\u2019s doing it again, leaning into dark, dramatic makeup to close out winter.<\/p>\n

At New York Fashion Week, McGrath delivered standout winter beauty moments worth recreating at home. She doubled down on inky eyes and statement lips, balanced with luminous, fresh-looking skin. Though the looks debuted on the runway, they translate seamlessly into real life.<\/p>\n

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Courtesy of Pat McGrath<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Courtesy of Pat McGrath<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Modern Noir<\/h2>\n

Moody makeup looks dominated the Khaite Fall\/Winter 2026 runway, where wine-stained lips and smoked-out eyes set the tone. \u201cI wanted beauty that felt cinematic and slightly sinister\u2014softly smoked eyes, a strong burgundy outline, and lips that read like deep, inky velvet,\u201d says McGrath. \u201cI used MatteTrance Lipstick in Elson ($39) with something new (coming soon!) for that perfectly sculpted, noir mouth, and built the gaze with PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil in Xtreme Black ($29). Everything was about quiet power\u2014painterly, modern and unforgettable.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the mystery lip addition remains under wraps, recreating the look is simply a matter of choosing rich, inky shades that lean into the drama. And if you need further convincing, Taylor Swift is known to reach for that same Elson lipstick shade.<\/p>\n

Polished With Edge<\/h2>\n

At Anna Sui\u2019s Fall\/Winter 2026 show, McGrath continued the \u201cslightly dangerous\u201d theme, pairing dramatic eyes with luminous, perfected skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted the face to feel like a character\u2014polished, luminous and slightly dangerous,\u201d says McGrath. \u201cSkin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation ($69) perfected the skin without ever looking heavy, while Mothership II: Sublime ($128) adds that decadent, downtown drama to the eyes. I defined the wings with PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil ($29) and finished the look with Lip Fetish Balm ($39) and something new (coming soon!) for a soft, lived-in sensuality.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Courtesy of Pat McGrath<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Courtesy of Pat McGrath<\/sub><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The runways aren\u2019t the only place this brooding winter beauty is surfacing. If you\u2019ve been anywhere near social media lately, you\u2019ve likely seen the buzz around the new Wuthering Heights<\/em> adaptation\u2014and plenty of Margot Robbie\u2019s striking press tour looks. The Gothic romance has quickly become a wellspring of beauty (and fashion) inspiration, especially when it comes to makeup and hair, and the mood is clearly extending far beyond the runway.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n